I'm back

and almost recovered. Now how about some bullet points?

• The work event went well. I had the help and company of a great friend that was very appreciated.
• I realized that people not cleaning up after themselves when it is very obvious that I will be doing all of the cleaning (and not some invisible wait-staff) may possibly make me more mad than I have been in a while.
• However, having said friend to vent to while we cleaned up dirty paper plates (that could have been thrown in the trash can not even two feet from the table) really helped.
• The older generation loves, and I mean LOVES that I am letting this baby be a surprise.
• Apparently this pregnancy makes me even more opinionated than I normally am (which may lead to some serious issues if I don't check myself).
• Also, the only thing I want to eat? Taco Bell.

I think that's it for now. I'm sure I'll have more interesting stuff to post soon! (like quilt tops).

I wasn't going to share this

Mainly because I feel like you all get sick of me talking about work.

But, nonetheless, it is time for another tri-annual work meeting. Which means that my life gets a little more crazy.

Gotta love it.

This one is in Denver, and unfortunately Ronnie and Easton can't come along this time (bummer!).

The good news is that I'm sure I will have some great stories to share next week, when I am back to the real world.

Peace out.

Easton has a great love for this train hat. He puts it on himself--hence the sideways, one ear in, one ear out look.

Easton also has a real love of golf, which Ronnie would normally love, except that it is FOOTBALL season now and we don't want to watch golf all of the time. Every time we are watching sports Easton asks for "doll, doll" (translation: golf, golf). He also thinks anything is a golf club, as evidenced by this video. That thing he is using? It is a mirror like the dentist has that came from his veterinarian kit. Also, please note that he knows what the camera usually does and just doesn't get it when mama (me) is not making the flash go off like normal.

For all you grandparents, who just can't get enough Easton, I have 4 more videos, which can be accessed on Youtube here, here, here and here.

Because I live in Wyoming

and because I like to make you pity me, I'm showing you what it looks like outside my window right now.
That's right--snow on the ground and snow coming down. Not to mention the 2 inches I scraped off the car this morning and the 10 minute hail storm that pounded our poor little apartment at 2:00am last night.

How much is a ticket to Hawaii?

I do not have a "relax" gene

So, you all know how I am determined to let this baby be a surprise the old fashioned way (Ronnie is still trying to use the "but it's a surprise at 20 weeks or at 40 weeks" excuse).

There are a few things that my "planner self" wanted to have prepared prior to a baby.

Clothes? Not so much.

It is the bedding and quilting. (I know, I am insane).

So, I decided that I would make a boy quilt, a girl quilt and girl bedding and then I would be set. The baby would have a quilt of their own, made by their mama and I wouldn't have to figure out how to find the time to sew with TWO (not just one) kids.

I know the next question is, "But what if I have another boy?"

Well, I was determined that I would find girl fabric that I was in LOVE with. Fabric that I could marry and live happily ever after with, so that if I do have to pack that very fabric away for several years until I have a girl, it won't be a huge deal.

I'm happy to announce that I found it! Here it is in all of its glory.

I'm washing it all today and am ready to get rolling, so you can look forward to some crafting posts in the (not so very near) future.

Cuz, I know you all love those.

At least he remembered

Easton (and I'm sure most boys) has a thing for keys.

Car keys, house keys, filing cabinet keys--you name it, he loves it.

We have 2 locking filing cabinet drawers on the desk that resides in his room. Because they are a great height for him, and I have the extra key tucked away in a safe place, we let him lock and unlock the drawers.

Yesterday, he and I were playing in his room and I decided to try and find "his" filing cabinet key, since I hadn't seen it in several days. I searched his usual hiding places (under the crib, under the dresser, in the fabric scraps, etc), but couldn't find it anywhere.

Finally, I turned to him and asked, "Easton, where is the key to this drawer?"

He looked at me, walked over to the heat vent under the window, pointed down and said, "key!"

I pulled off the cover and sure enough, there it was, right where he had dropped it.

We then had a discussion (which I'm sure he didn't really get) about how we don't drop things down the vents.

And now I have to search all of the other vents in the house to see what treasures I can find.

17 weeks

Here I am, in all my pregnant glory.
Bad news: we already know I am going to get HUGE.
Good news: I've gained significantly less weight in this pregnancy so far.

Accomplishment

You see this incredibly blurry picture of a stamp? Well, it just so happens that this very envelope contained the last payment on our car, mailed this morning.

Hip Hip Hooray!

21 months

Well, it's been two months since the last Easton official "monthly" (using that word very loosely here) update, so here we go!

Easton's words have exploded this month. Here are some that are new: high, noon-ells (noodles), rice, fries, flou-der (flower), dead-ells (Incredibles), turtle, ahhh-men (amen), tick (stick), moon, beeeen-tee (binky), bain-tee (blankie), call (phone), poptar (pop-tart), keyzzz (keys), ahhh-ple (apple), tuck (stuck), and tash (trash).

You know that I am missing some, but you get the general idea. While it is great to be able to understand some of what he wants, the tantrums are far from over. The other day it was so ridiculous that I just started laughing, there was nothing else to do.

For the first time in a long time, Easton got a new tooth this week. His poor bottom two teeth have been so lonely since they came in when he was 9 months old and they finally got a friend. The tooth right next to them on his left side is in, and the one next to that is looking very close. He'll be lopsided for a bit, but maybe it will help him be able to bite some things!

We are still struggling with sleeping since we got back from vacations in August. Easton refuses to go down by himself in his crib. For naps, he will normally let you rock him to sleep (something he has not done since he was 6 months old), but at nighttime he refuses to do even that. We are forced to drive him around town (for about 15-20) minutes, then lug him into the house asleep. I'm really at a loss of how to fix this. Crying it out just isn't the same now that he knows that I am leaving. I guess I need to do some research on what to do (or I'm open to suggestions!).

This picture was taken during the day, but you get the idea of him falling asleep in the car. Luckily he is a kid who loves doing that, or we would be in real trouble.

And now for some bath time pictures (sorry for the darkness). Easton loves baths, except for the washing of the hair part. He is a little quirky though and will not sit on his bottom. ever. He squats for the entire bath and has done this since he was about 12 months old.

He sure is cute though.

Another example of the face you get when you tell him to "cheese."

And now, for your viewing pleasure, a video of Easton getting around the bathtub in the squatting position.

Reasons having a recently returned missionary brother in town is great

1. Due to my dad being maxed out on phones on his "family plan," Adam was forced to join Ronnie and my family. (I kinda like having a son who can drive. :) ) This means that when I am checking my Verizon account daily online, I also get to snoop on how many text messages Adam has sent in one month. (1750 in case you were wondering--and yes, he has unlimited messaging). This brings me a strange amount of joy daily.
2. When past companions call to catch up and I have the pleasure of being in the same room as Adam, I get to watch him get absolutely giddy and do that "shake your hand around so that it sounds like you are snapping, but you are not actually snapping" thing.
3. Endless opportunities to make fun of (ahem, tease) him about English words that don't come out right, etc.
4. I get to be a fashion expert again. (Ronnie doesn't always believe me if I say something is not cool. With Adam, my word is law).
5. I get to re-live/re-tell stories from the past that no one has bothered to bring up in the last two years, but are some of Adam's favorites.
6. We get in arguments about whether changes in town happened before or after Adam left, or if events in the family happened before or after he left. It's awesome.
7. Most of all though, I get to have my favorite 21-year old brother back.

Some of the deets

We couldn't be happier to be expecting another child.


Easton is not a good share-er as of yet, but every oldest has to learn sometime, right?


I have been feeling great. No sickness, no headaches, and minimal tiredness and "super smell" issues.


Easton has no idea what is happening, although he does think my belly button is fun to find at the moment.


As of now, I am resolved to let this baby be a surprise. (You should know that every time I tell someone that, Ronnie laughs and laughs because he doesn't think I can do it--little does he know how much I want to WIN!)

I don't have any feelings on which gender the baby is (with Easton I felt very strongly that he was a boy).

I'm already showing much more than with Easton (are people still interested in belly pictures with second children?).

I think that is it for now, any other questions?

I've waited for a while

To share this happy news,

It looks like mama will be shopping

For some tiny, little shoes.

They say our household will grow

Around February 22nd,

But if this baby takes after me,

He or she won't be hastened.

Mama's belly is getting bigger

(It will soon get in my way),

And I'll have to learn to share

Sometime before the big day.

Love, Easton

Driving

You know how in your youth you lived on the edge?

and by "lived on the edge" I mean drove as fast as you felt that you could get away with?

Yeah, me too.

My entire town has one speed limit. 30mph. There is this one road that moves up to 45 mph as you are heading out of town (but not to Wal-mart yet) and I used to love to make that drive.

Sigh.

Occasionally though, I would get stuck behind one of "them." The people who go exactly 30mph. This would drive me batty. I would tail them and let them know of my anger, all the while wondering who-the-heck only goes 30.

Fast forward 10 years.

I have morphed into "them."

I can't tell you how many times in the last two years I have looked down and noticed that I am only going 30, or heaven-forbid, 25!

What can I say? It feels fast enough to me.

Patience Brings Pictures

Lots and lots of them. Please forgive the length of this post.

While in Cali, we went to the zoo. A really tiny zoo, but a zoo none the less. Easton was in LOVE with the miniature goats they had for the kids to pet.

I believe this pictures was taken shortly before Easton said "EYE!" and actually touched the goat's creepy eyeball. (Hands were then washed).

The animals weren't that exciting, so it was time to chew on sunscreen...

Look adorable...

and pound it with anyone who would give a fist.

Then we looked at a few more things with Grandma....

and Grandpa read us a book.

A few days later, Daddy and Easton went swimming (this was actually the day we flew out of Cali and mommy didn't feel like getting all chlorine-y and having to shower AGAIN. She is a party pooper).

They enjoyed it though.

until Daddy decided to push his luck and dunk Easton.

He was NOT a happy camper!

So, they sat on the steps to calm down and that did the trick.

And then they were generally cute and happy.

For the rest of the time.

Sleeping

So, while Easton did not sleep through the night until the ripe old age of 13 months, he has put himself to sleep since he was about 7 or 8 months old. Just say a prayer, give him a kiss, turn on his nightlight/mobile song thingy and shut the door.

It is fantastic!

Unfortunately, after 10 days of traveling, it has come to an end. He now SCREAMS whenever I try and carry him into his room.

He'll magically learn it all again though, right?

Summertime + KaLee =

a major lack of blogging, I apologize.

But you know what? It's kind of nice to just take a little break once in a while.

We've been busy playing in California, attending my Grandparents 50th anniversary open house and spending lots of time with lots of family.

We're loving it.

Updates and pictures will soon follow.

(I hope).

I can't just make this stuff up

So, remember how I was all excited about Adam coming home?


Well, he flew into an airport in the next big city (where Ronnie has his internship, 45 miles away).


So the whole fam drove over (Ronnie and I separately because he had a work bbq in the afternoon) to be at the airport to await Adam's 9:45 p.m. flight.


The plane was early and my family's car was running a little late, so they came bursting into the airport all commercial-like. (It was fantastic!)


We got the signs all ready, the balloons out and the kids looking good and waited for people to get off the plane.


One person gets off, then another two, then two people in wheelchairs, then another two people and then someone from the flight crew comes in (not a good sign).


Turns out he wasn't on the stinking flight.


So, I took a picture of where he SHOULD have come through the door.


And Erc and Alayna felt like this.

And Sassy and I felt the same way.

So, to spare you all of the phone calls and the unhelpful customer service people and the like, my parent's car just drove down to the Denver Airport to pick him up and Ronnie, Easton and I headed back to Laramie. (Our reasons for not going to Denver? We couldn't all fit in one car, so we would see him in the airport for about 20 minutes, then not even get to chat with him on the way home all for 4 extra hours of driving. Not so very worth it). We do love Adam though.

So, he is home, safe and sound and I have happy pictures of us all, but they are not on my camera, so you will have to wait for those.

A day of anticipation

Guess what?

My brother gets home from his mission in Guatemala today!

Hip hip hooray!

New Words

Easton's vocabulary seems to be exploding daily. Here's a little taste.

choo choo (train sound), ah boar (all aboard), Buhh (Buzz, as in Buzz Lightyear), Whooo-deee (Woody), yesh (yes), yep, wa-wa (waffle), shoes, two, four, Da (Uncle Dan), Baby (Cousin Alayna), cahh (car), uh-huh, bue (blue), puh-ple (purple), ellow (yellow), and vroom.

I'm sure that there are a few I am forgetting.

It's Normal

to have four, count them, FOUR different face lotions in your bathroom cabinet. Right?

RIGHT?

Just for the record, I use every single one of them regularly. I just decide how my face is "feeling" that day and apply the appropriate lotion.

Zit coming on? Benzaclin (spoken of here)

Dry? Walmart brand goodness

Need some sun protection? Neutrogena SPF please

Aren't quite sure how you feel? How 'bout some of that left over ProActiv stuff?